Improvement in stalk-cutters



T.' W. PAGE 8a M. HOFFMAN.

sTALK-cu-TTER.

m1179338.' A meme. :une 21.1876.

A UNITED STATEs PLAGE.`

PATENT OFFICE. A

THOMAS W. PAGE AND MARTIN HOFFMAN, OF CANTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-FOURTH OF THEIR RIGHT TO WILLIAM BABCOOK, SR., OF SAME IMPRovEMl-:NT IN` s''ALpKv-CUTTELRS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l 79,338, dated J une 27', 1876; application filed February 23, 1876.

To all whom it may conceggn Be it known that we, THOMAS W. PAGE and MARTIN HOFFMAN, of Canton, county of Fulton, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and use'ul Improvements in Stalk- Gutters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form partof this specitication, and in which- Figure l is a top view of a machine ennbodying ourA invention, and Fig. 2 is a sectional view ot' Fig. 1 on the line .r ac.

The nature of our invention relates to improvements in machines for cutting corn or A cotton stalks in the iield into short lengths, to

facilitate plowing them under, or Jfor other purposes; and the invention consists in the arrangement ot' devices for suspending the cutter-frame on the wheel-frame, as hereinafter i'ully described.

Referring to the parts by letters, A represents the axle; B B, the wheels ;.C,the tongue, and D the braces ot' the wheel-t'rame-a frame also adapted to receive cultivator-plows for the purposes of a straddle-row cultivator. E E are the' side hars, and F F the transverse bars, of the cutter-frame. G is the cylinder4 ot' cutters, journalefl in the side -bars E. H is a light cover, hinged at h h to the forward bar F, and provided with a suitable fast-- ening at its other side and to the rear bar F. I I are the drag-h0oks, hinged to the forward ends ot' arms i, and connected by cords or chains i' to the har F, so that they may reach the ground in operation, and be elevated with the cutter-frame when not in operation. J is a rock-shaft, journaledxon the rear end of the hounds, and provided with a hand-leven), by

which it mayl beoperated by the driver from his seat Konthe wheel-frame. L is a curved arm centrally on the shaft .I, and has a chain,

l, attached at its forward part, and, extending back over its grooved surface, is connected at its other end toa hook, m, which is connected to a hail, M, the ends of which are hinged to the side frame-hars E. N is a foot-lever, pivoted at n to the side of the -tongue C, its forwardend formed as shown in the drawings at a", to receive the drivers foot, and its rear end formed into a hook-pawl, n', which engages with a ratchet, a", on the shaft J The operation is as follows: The process ot' cutting is in the ordinary manner. When it is desired to raise and support the lcutteri frame for temporary transportation, the lever j may be used to rotate the rock-shaft J, and thus turn the arm L, and draw up the chain or cord l, and raisethe cutter-frame and cylinder of cutters from the ground 5h and on their jointed connection to the wheel-frame as a fulcrum, the pawl n', engaging with the ratchet a, will sustain it elevated until the driver, by pressing with his foot-on the forward end ot' the lever N, disengages the pawl a', and allows the cutter-frame to fall easily by means ot his hand utilizing the lever j.

The cover H forms a protection to the cutter-cylinder, and, being hinged thereto, admits ot' turning upward when access is desired to the cutters for any purpose.

Having thus described our invention,what

we claim as new, and desire to secure by Let/)- ters Patent, is-

The cutter-frame E, having bail M, arranged tooperate in combination with rock-shaft J, curved arm L, ratchet n, lever N, and with the wheel-frame A B, substantiallyA as and for the purpose specified.

THOMAS W. PAGE. MARTIN HOFFMAN. Witnesses H. G. HOFFMAN, G. D. HOBLITT. 

